The world of professional boxing is bracing for what many are calling its most cynical spectacle in years. This Friday in Miami, former two-time heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua will step into the ring with social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul. The purse is staggering, with each fighter reportedly set to bank around £70 million. Yet, for seasoned observers, the event represents a profound degradation of the sport's values and a potentially dangerous mismatch.
From 'Bum of the Month' to Modern-Day Freak Show
The fight has drawn unfavourable comparisons to a much-maligned chapter in boxing history. 85 years ago, the legendary champion Joe Louis embarked on his infamous 'Bum of the Month Club', defending his title 13 times in 29 months against a series of overmatched opponents. One such bout, against Al McCoy in Boston in December 1940, was met with a storm of jeers for its messy, uncompetitive nature.
This weekend's contest, however, threatens to plumb new depths. "This fight makes Louis v McCoy look like the Rumble in the Jungle," the critique runs. Paul, 28, who made his professional debut in 2020, is a novice with just 13 fights. He has fought above the cruiserweight limit only once and secured a controversial win over a 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Joshua, despite recent setbacks, remains an elite-level athlete with a sledgehammer right hand and experience from 13 world title fights. The physical disparity is expected to be around three stone.
The High Stakes: Money, Streaming, and Reputation
The motivations for this event are transparently financial. The £140 million total purse is a powerful lure. For streaming giant Netflix, which is broadcasting the fight, it's a chance to smash records. The platform is aiming to surpass the 65 million concurrent streams it garnered for Paul's previous fight against Tyson.
Yet the cost to boxing's reputation could be severe. The sport operates on an unspoken social contract, where its inherent dangers are partly offset by the discipline, respect, and opportunity it provides. This bout, a blatant cash grab targeting a new, casual audience, is seen as tearing up that contract. Promises from Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn that the fight will not be 'managed' offer little comfort; the best hope may simply be that Paul avoids serious injury.
A History of Circus Acts Offers Little Comfort
Defenders may argue Paul brings novelty and a new audience, but boxing's history is littered with similar carnival acts. During Louis's era, he faced characters like "Two Ton" Tony Galento, who fought a bear for publicity, and Lou Nova, who claimed to possess a 'cosmic punch' derived from yoga. Paul's influencer antics seem tame by comparison.
The stark truth, however, is that none of Louis's so-called 'bums' were as ill-equipped for elite competition as Paul appears to be against Joshua. As Louis himself later said of his opponents, "those guys I fought were not bums." The question now is what excuse Joshua, a champion who once embodied sporting excellence, can possibly offer for participating in such a contest. The event may generate immense wealth and viewer numbers, but it leaves the soul of boxing significantly poorer.
